I attended my first rodeo in over 25 years this week. If you've never seen a rodeo, you need to understand that this sport was developed as a showcase of extremely vital skills for the cowboy - from breaking horses to ride, to roping calves in order to brand or treat them. I will write another article this week about this much maligned and misunderstood sport, but this is a showcase of some great rodeo songs out there.
Garth Brooks - Rodeo
Probably one of the most uplifting rodeo songs I can find. Very much romanticized - and the image that cowboys wish to think of when they're preparing for their next rides.
But the rodeo life isn't easy... The travel involved is very difficult, especially as the distances are often very great.
George Strait - Amarillo by Morning
This ballad really does show a lot of what rodeo life is like.
(For those who don't know, Amarillo is a city in Texas.)
Garth Brooks - I'm Much Too Young to Feel This Damn Old
(Actually two songs here - but I couldn't find a better recording to share today.)
From what I read, Chris LeDoux was on the road the first time he heard this song - and when he heard himself mentioned, he nearly drove off the road!
Speaking of Chris LeDoux...
He was the original cowboy turned singer. He sold tapes out of the back of his pickup to help pay for his rodeo circuit. Awesome guy, Wyoming native - shame that he's no longer with us.
Chris LeDoux - Hooked on an 8-Second Ride
Hopefully, you can now understand a little of why a cowboy rides his next bull or bronc...
George Strait - I Can Still Make Cheyenne
Even for successful cowboys, the rodeo circuit is a hard life, a lot of time on the road, traveling long distances - hard for those left behind... as he makes clear in this song. (Cheyenne is the capital city of Wyoming.)
Suzy Bogguss - Night Rider's Lament
Here is the pain of the woman at home, waiting for news, not understanding why the cowboy must continue this life.
And sometimes the pain goes further than that...
In this dangerous sport, despite all the precautions taken, from time to time, someone still pays the ultimate price for this sport - even the best riders know this is a possibility...
Garth Brooks - Beaches of Cheyenne
This song appears to be a tribute to Lane Frost, a champion bull rider who died in a Frontier Days rodeo in Cheyenne a number of years ago. His legacy has included improved safety measures and funds to help people when injuries happen, but there is still a hole in the hearts of the people closest to him.
Chris LeDoux's son, Ned, helps carry on the tradition
Ned LeDoux - Cowboy Life
Again, the reason why the cowboy gets on another horse or bull, despite the inherent dangers.
I hope you've enjoyed this little foray into music that is very important in my little corner of the world - Wyoming!
Note: All these are YouTube videos, supplied for educational purposes - whenever possible, I've linked to the artist's own channel or another educational channel.
Lori Svensen – A'mara Books & Viking Visual
Banner by @shai-hulud
